Overhead door



. Sept 19, 1950 R. FowLER ETAL 2,523,207

OVERHEAD DOOR Filed Jan. 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToRs. P05605 Fou/1.57?

Sept; 19, 1950 R. FowLER ET AL OVERHEAD DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14, 1946 o y S E m@ NE E ELy o VWH f m p .r

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Patented Sept. 19,1950

OFFICE OVERHEAD Doon@ .f Roscoe Fowler, Los Angeles, vand Earl F. Murphy,v

Inglewood, Calif.; Fowler said Murphy assigner to said Application January 14, 1946,4 serial 19,641,110

suchmovement of the door, or other closure member, from a closed to an open position, or 'vice versa, and particularly an arm and lever constructionin which a cantilever arm causing the swinging of the Vdoor or closure member is controlled in its movement by a master arm supportingv the door or closure member.

` Animportant object also of this invention is the elimination of tracks, or similar extended means, for guidingthe door or closure member in such movement. n l l vA further important object of this invention is to provide a mechanism of this class which requires substantially only a single connection or' attachment to theopposite sides of the sides of side Lmembers of the'frameor j amb of the closure member. i vA still further important object of this invention vis to'provide arm and lever means forl a structure of this class in Ywhich certain mem-v bers'are readily extensible or contractable to accommodate doorsn or'closures of various lengths or heights'.

'Still another important object of this invention is to provide a novel booster bracket or lateral extension of the master closure supporting arm to facilitate opening of the closure. i

With 'thesef and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, we have devised an overhead door or closure structure having certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement' of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which: Y Fig.` `1 is a sectional elevation through a'vdoor and frame'or jamb therefor, showing our arm and lever mechanism at one side thereof, for supporting andholding the door in a closed position;

' Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof through the door' andfframabut showing the lformer in an open position, and showing by dotted lines various positions of the upper portion of the door when movedj'from the vertical to the horizontal position, yor vice versa 11 Claims. (UL20-V16) Fig.`3 is al fragmentaryelevational view taken from the inside of the door, as indicated by 3 3 ofrlig. 1.

Fig. i is'an enlarged transverse sectional view thereof, taken through 4`-4 of Fig. 1; and,

',Fig. "51' is a enlarged transverse sectional View thereof, taken through 5 5 of Fig. 1, showing one form of extensible construction of one of the door supporting arms.

"Th'edoor or closure member, designated I, is of conventional construction andmay be of any desired size. It is arranged to be closed over the opening'Za of the frame or jamb 2. As shown, the frame hasv only a stop 2b at the upper portion of the opening to limit the outward or closed position ofw the upper end of the door or closure member. A

At each side of the frame is mounted a duplicate Avarm and lever mechanism, shown best in Figs.' l and 2. lSince the mechanisms are duplicates, only one will be described.

The lwhole mechanism is supported on the inner side of ya' side member 2c of the frame by a bracket l I, which extends inwardly from such side member. Onthe -inner and lower portion of the bracket'is pivotally mounted the master arm l2, such mounting'being-preferably at vthe median portion of the armi; One endfof the arm, which Y is the normally lower end'when the'door is closed,

is pivotally connected to the door vI near the lateral edlge.- Such pivotal connection is preferably made' with a side rail I3, which issecured to the inneriside of the door. On the outer side and upper-portion of the bracket I I is Lpivotally mounted one end of a positioning lever I4,f'which, whenV the door is closed, extends downwardly yfrom its pivotal mounting on the bracket. The normally lower end of this positioning lever is pivotally connected to a cantilever arin I5, theprincipal function of which is the swinging of the door about its hinge or pivotalmounting on the master arm. The normally lovverend of the cantilever arm is pivotally connectedjto af bracket I6 extending inwardly from the "door, vnear the normally lower end thereof. 'j I In Vorder to swing the positioning lever I4 to effect the movement of the door about its pivotal support on the master arm in the desired manner, the median portion of the positioning lever I4 is connected by a link I'I to a laterally extended lug n I2a on the master. arm I2, the axis ofthe pivotal connection of this'lug being positioned between the pivotal connection of the master-arm to the door and the pivotal mounting of the master arm on the bracket, but 'near the latter, this pivotal axis beingfalso positioned at the normally inner side ofthe. master arm, as shown in Fig. 1.

. j :In order-to; facilitate' the shiftingv of the-door froinf'the closedto the open position, and vice versa, a coil spring I8 connects the other, or normally upper end of the master arm I2, to the inner side of the lower portion of the side member 2c of the frame, as shown in Figi. The connection of the upper end of the spring to the master arm is off-set inwardly from the line exg tending between the pivotal connections of the arm with the door and with the bracket I I. This offset is made by a booster bracket I9, which isV adjustably connected to said normally other lor upper end of the master arm.

In order to prevent the coil spring I8 from interferring with or whipping against the connected ends of the positioning lever I4 and the cantilever arm I5, a shoe 20 is provided for holding the intermediate portion `o i the spring therefrom. This shoe may be carried by the free end of the positioning lever I4.

In order to apply our arm and lever mechanism to closures of various lengths or heights, we have provided longitudinally adjustable master and cantilever arms. The adjustable portions of these arms may be referred to as telescoping portions. In this instance, the master arm I2 consists Yof va large central section I2lo and smaller end sections I2c`and I2d, all of which may be structural channels. The channels I2"z and I2d are shown positioned within and are longitudinally slidable within the center section I2b. The

center section is slotted, as shown, and the two.

end sections are connected to the center section by suitable means such as bolts |28, which extend through the slots.

In a, similar manner, the cantilever arm I5 has interpositioned and longitudinally slidable chari-V nels I5a and I5, which are adjustably connected through slots by bolts I 5C. l

Though we have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, we do not wish to be limited to the same, but desire to include in the scope of our invention the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth -in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an yoverhead door construction, the Vcom-lV bination witha frameand aclosure member, oi? a master arm pivotally mounted .on Vtheside and intermediate the ends ofthe frame-and pivotally connected at one end tothe normally inner side and medianL portion ofthe closure member, aV cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end to" 2. In an overhead door construction, the combination with a frame and a closure member, of a vbracket secured to the side and intermediate the ends of the frame .and extending inwardly therefrom, a master arm pivotally mounted on the inner end of the lower portion of the bracket andrpivotally` connected at .one end to the normally `inner side 'and' median .portion of the `clo-` sure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end tothe normally inner side of the normally lower portion of the closure member, a positioningjlever vpivotally mounted 4 at one end at the inner and upper portion of the bracket and pivotally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, and means operatively connecting the intermediate portion of the positioning lever to the master arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and the mounting on the bracket and near the latter mounting.

3. In an overhead door construction, the combination with a frame and a closure member, of a bracket secured to the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and extending inwardly therefrom, a master arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the inner end of the lower portion of the bracket "and pivotally connected at one end to the Inormally inner side and median portion'of the closure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected aty one end tothe normally inner. side ,ofvr the normally lower portion of the closure member, a positioningv lever pivotally mounted at one end at the inner and upper portion ofthe bracket and pivotally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, means operatively connecting the intermediate portion of the. positioning lever to the master arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and the mounting on the bracket and near the latter mounting, and means at the other. enelV of Athe master arm for counterbalancing the closure'` v'member about .the pivotal mounting on the bracket.

4, Inan overhead doorconstructon, the combination wi-tha irame'andy a closure member, of

a bracket secured to the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and .extending inwardly therefrom, a master arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the inner endof the lower portion of the bracket and pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side and median portion of the closure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end to the normally innervrside ofy ythe normally lower portion of the closure rmem-ber,l a positioning lever pivotally mounted at one end of theinner and upper por- I tionfof the bracket 'and'pivotally connected atY its other end with the other end of the cantilever"arm, means operatively connecting the .intermediateportion` .ci the positioning lever to the master arm between vthe connections thereof with the closure' member and themounting on the bracket and near the 'latter mounting, and a tension spring. connecting .the .opposite end of the masterarm to thelower'endof Ythe frame.

5. vIn an overhead ldoor construction, the combination with afname and a closure member, of ak -longitudinallyladjustable'master arm pivotally mountedbn'th'esideand intermediate the ends of ytlrie fratrieV and V,pivotally-connected .at one `end tothe normally inner; side and median portion ofthe closure member, ka longitudinally adjustable cantilever ,afmpivotallyconnected at one end to the normally inner side of the normally lower portion'of the .closure member, a positioning lever pivotally mounted at one end on the e frame above the pivotal mounting of the -master arm and pivotally lconnected at its other v.end with theother endotthe cantilever arm, and .means operatively ,connecting the` intermediate Vportion ofthe positioning lever tothe master arm between theV connections thereof wi-thvthe closure member and themounting on the frame and near,

the latter nzloun'tingp` 6. Infanoverheadldoorconstruction, the com'- bination withairame,and'aclosure member, of a master arm lpivc' t'all y mounted intermediate its ends on the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side and median portionV of the closure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side of the normally lower portion of the closure member, a positioning lever ,pivotally mounted at one end on the frame above the pivotal mounting of the master arm and pivotally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, means operatively connecting the intermediate portion of the positioning lever to the master arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and the mounting on the frame and near the latter mounting, the opposite end of the master arm having an offset portion extending, when the structure is in a closed position, inwardly from the line pivotally connecting the master arm with the frame and closure member, and a tension spring connecting the inner end of the oiset portion with the lower end of the frame.

7. In an overhead door construction, the combination with a frame and a closure member, of a master arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side and median portion of the closure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side of the normally lower portion of the closure member, a positioning lever pivotally mounted at one end on the frame above the pivotal mounting `of the master arm and pivo-tally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, means operatively connecting the intermediate portion of the positioning lever to the mas-- ter arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and the mounting on the frame and near the latter mounting, and a tension spring connecting the opposite end of the master arm to the lower end of the frame, there being provided near the pivotal connection of the positioning lever and cantilever arm a shoe, for spacing the intermediate portion of the spring inwardly when the structure is in a closed position.

8. In an overhead door construction, the comf bination with a frame and a closure member, of

a master arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side and median portion of the closure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side of the normally lower portion of the closure member, a positioning lever pivotally mounted at one end on the frame above the pivotal mounting of the master arm and pivotally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, means operatively connecting the intermediate portion of the positioning lever to the master arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and the mounting on the frame and near the latter mounting, the opposite end of the master arm having an oiset portion extending, when the structure is in a closed position, inwardly from the line pivotally connecting the master arm with the frame and closure member, and a tension spring connecting the inner end of the olset portion with the lower end of the frame, there being provided near the pivotal connection of the positioning lever and cantilever arm a shoe, for spacing the intermediate portion of the spring inwardly when the structure is in a closed position.

9. In an overhead door construction, the combination with a frame and a closure member, of a master arm pivotally mounted on the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side and median portion of the closure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side of the normally [lower portion of the closure member, a positioning lever pivotally mounted at one end on the frame above the pivotal mounting of the master arm and pivotally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, and means operatively connecting the intermediate :portion of the positioning lever to the master arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and the mounting on the frame and near the latter mounting.

. 10. In an overhead door construction, the combinatio-n with a frame and a closure member, of a master arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side and median portion of the closure member, a cantilever arm pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side of the normally lower portion of the closure member, a positioning lever -pivotally mounted at one end on the frame above the pivotal mounting of the master arm and pivotally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, means operatively connecting the intermediyate portion of the positioning lever to the master arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and the mounting on the frame and near the latter mounting, and means at the other end of the master arm for counterbalancing the closure member about the pivotal mounting on the frame.

11. In an overhead door construction, the combination with a frame and a closure member, of a master arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the side and intermediate the ends of the frame and pivotally connected at one end to the normally inner side and median portion of the closure member, a cantilever arm lpivotally connected Iat one end to the normally inner side of the normally lower portion of the closure member, a positioning lever pivotally mounted at one end on the frame above the pivotal mounting of the master arm and pivotally connected at its other end with the other end of the cantilever arm, means operatively connecting the intermediate portion of the positioning lever to the master arm between the connections thereof with the closure member and thel mounting on the frame and nearV the latter mounting, and a tension spring connecting the opposite end of the master arm to the lower end of the frame.

ROSCOE FOWLER. EARL F. MURPHY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

